by Josiah Oluwole,
Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, has disclosed that 30 governors of the Peoples Democratic Party were compelled to donate N10 million each to the Obasanjo Presidential Library in 2005.
The governor made the disclosure at the opening of a caucus meeting of the PDP in the South West in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital on Monday.
“We were compelled to make the donation as PDP governors in 2005 and now I need the return of my money with interest,” he said.
The Obasanjo presidential library was officially commissioned on Saturday in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Mr. Fayose did not say who compelled the governors to make the donation.
At Monday’s meeting, the PDP caucus passed a vote of confidence on the Ahmed Makarfi leadership of the party, while branding the Ali Modu Sheriff’s faction of the party “usurpers”.
Mr. Fayose said the former Borno governor pretends to be leading the party, while at the same time working with the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
“We, the committed members of this party will not allow this evil to work, because charlatans can’t be allowed to hijack our party,” he said.
“To me, the PDP is one under Ahmed Makarfi. I want you to be speaking out against President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, nobody can kill you. The tough time we are passing through is just a phase as tough time never last but tough people do.
“They said the PDP people are corrupt, but if you look critically, the PDP are mere petty thieves while APC members are super robbers. They are only interested in destroying and oppressing our members while the people groan in sufferings. Today, the country is under emergency situation.
“They said we should use political means to settle our differences, let me say that even if we reconcile there are some people I can’t be in the same party with. They are dirty and people like us can’t associate with them.”
The governor urged PDP members to remain bold and undaunted in the face of perceived intimidation by agents of the APC, adding that God would soon move against those oppressing the party members.
In the communiqué issued later and read by the Ekiti State Deputy governor, Kolapo Olusola, stated that the party passed a vote of confidence on the Makarfi leadership and also declared support for the party’s appeal against the judgement of the Appeal Court, which validated the Sheriff-led Executive.
The party also expressed confidence in the leadership of Mr. Fayose as the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ forum and the Eddy Olafeso-led south west leadership.
Others leaders who attended meeting include former Governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniels; former Osun Deputy governor, Iyiola Omisore; former PDP Deputy Chairman, Bode George; former PDP National Vice Chairman, Tajudeen Oladipo; PDP Spokesperson, Dayo Adeyeye, a member of the House of Representative from Ogun, Oladipupo Adebutu; Ebenezer Babatope, former Nigerian Ambassador to Greece, Olu Agbi, among others.